


through the fields of open graves

by sleepyzeldy



Category: Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity (Video Game)
Genre: Drabble, Gen, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Missing Scene, Spoilers for Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, a step towards fixing a millenia's worth of issues, kohga/sooga if u squint
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-25
Updated: 2021-01-25
Packaged: 2021-03-18 06:55:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 760
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28988148
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sleepyzeldy/pseuds/sleepyzeldy
Summary: Kneeling down next to Kohga is scary. He’s big, even while kneeling, and she still cannot forget how often his attacks came close to ending her life.Yet, she’s faced so much more, from corrupted guardians to the blights, and even shadow versions of her friends. She will not let herself be intimidated now. Thinking like this, talking to Kohga suddenly seems much more manageable. He looks vulnerable. A terrified leader, just like her.//Or: Master Kohga and Princess Zelda talk.
Relationships: Master Kohga & Zelda
Comments: 8
Kudos: 54





	through the fields of open graves

The leader of the Yiga clan, a man whose power was unrivaled amongst his ranks, who threatened to take her off the face of the Earth, is kneeling before her.

“Allow me to join your side!”

Zelda is speechless.

Impa is not. She points her weapon at him, “As if we’d believe that! Now what do you _really_ want?” she demands, the hard edge in her voice capable of cutting through steel.

Kohga doesn’t move, and Zelda almost expects him to laugh and say _You’re right you incompetent fool, here’s my special attack!_ or something, but no. His hands stay on the ground. He’s still kneeling.

“There’s no tricks. I _need_ to join your side, please!” his voice is brimming with indignation, with bitterness and shame. But, under all of that, Zelda thinks she can hear desperation.

He didn’t say _I want,_ but _I need._ The curiosity that so often dictates her life rises, and she steps forward, placing a calming hand on Impa’s shoulder. Impa turns, the frown on her face clearly leading to an objection, but Zelda smiles. It’s okay. The fight seems to leave her, and now she just looks more tired than anything. Zelda will have to apologize to her later.

Kneeling down next to Kohga is scary. He’s big, even while kneeling, and she still cannot forget how often his attacks came close to ending her life. 

Yet, she’s faced so much more, from corrupted guardians to the blights, and even shadow versions of her friends. She will not let herself be intimidated now. Thinking like this, talking to Kohga suddenly seems much more manageable. He looks vulnerable. A terrified leader, just like her.

Kohga twitches as she comes close. “Please rise,” her fingers fidget with the edges of her dress, “why do you need to?”

Slowly, he lifts his head, then his torso, until they’re both staring at each other, both kneeling. His mask bears a deep crack, splitting the eye in two.

There’s a beat of silence where she thinks he’ll refuse to elaborate, but then, “Astor betrayed me, he took the lives of many of my hench--no...my friends, he killed Soo--” a pause, deep breaths. His fists are trembling, “This is not the Hyrule I wanted for my people.”

Just then, Zelda recalls the tall imposing figure of the man who always shadowed Kohga. Who protected and rescued him, who was always there, attention zeroed on him at all times. She doesn’t ask him to finish his sentence.

Staring at the masked man in front of her, Zelda thinks of all the things she could say, all the grievances that have piled up over the years.

_The Yiga killed my mother._

_You tried to kill me more than once._

_You hurt the people I love._

_Hundreds of lives have been taken by your people_

There’s a hand on her shoulder. Impa. 

Zelda recalls the Sheikah. She recalls the damages that led to the creation of the Yiga. The damage the royal family, _her_ family, had done that led to this proud group of people to splinter and see revenge as their only option. The damage that has forced them to either submit to living under a golden boot or to scavenge in the cliffs between a dangerous desert and an inhospitable tundra.

Shaking minutely, Zelda covers Kohga’s fist with her own hand. She barely covers half of it. There are twin intakes of breath, Impa and Kohga just as surprised as she is in her action. She ignores them. 

“Okay,” she says, voice unwavering. He lifts his gaze from their joined hands, and she has a feeling his face is picture-perfect disbelief. 

“We will never see eye to eye, and eventually we will have to talk about...everything. But,” she squeezes his hand, “I would be honored to receive the Yiga clan’s help.”

Turning her body towards Impa, she stretches her hand in invitation. “I cannot make this decision for you or your people, Impa, and I refuse to order you. So I will ask instead,” she smiles, “will you lend me your people’s power, and unite Hyrule in the process?”

Impa hesitates, but ultimately, she huffs out a laugh, “You know I can’t say no to you princess,” then, straightening up, the strength of a warrior settling on her, she takes Zelda’s hand.

“For Hyrule,” Zelda says, placing Impa’s hand over her own and Kohga’s. 

“For Hyrule,” Kohga and Impa echo, their voices strong and determined. 

For the first time in millennia, the Sheikah and the Yiga were reunited.

**Author's Note:**

> i love kohga and his funky gay husband and im sad its implied sooga was killed. but! sure leads to zelda and kohga coming to a sort of acceptance.
> 
> i do eventually want to write a fic talking abt the royal family, the yiga, the sheikah and all the issues it implies but that day is not today.
> 
> thank u for reading! constructive criticism is welcomed <3
> 
> come talk to me on tumblr, im @thatsnotzelda


End file.
